<p>I wasn’t quite sure where to put this post, so I planted it in here. I have been set on going to an ivy league since I was about 10. I have met with Brown and am certain I can get in there and run, and I have talked with Harvard and all I need is a point or two on my ACT, which I am very confident I could get. Harvard I would be able to attend financially with it’s generous FA, but Brown would be a little more difficult. I haven’t gotten exact figures on FA pre-reads, but using calculators on the prespective school’s website. I have always had Northeastern as a sort of backup.
Today, I went for an recruiting day at Northeastern, and I was very impressed. The new distance coach has had success in the last few years with developing one of the nation’s best Eric Jenkins. The co-op program really really interests me, as does the possibility of going to the honor’s college there. PLUS, I can go there for close to nothing, because they give out athletic scholarships. So the ultimate plan if I go to Northeastern would be to go to the honor’s college, get a good job at the co-op, and hopefully secure a job with that company for after college, and try to have them pay for an MBA eventually. This wouldn’t cost me anything, and I would’t have any student loans to pay back or anything. So, I was wondering if anyone on this board, would have an opininon if an Ivy diploma is really worth it.</p>
<p>Obviously there isn’t a right and wrong answer - but I’ll weigh in with an opinion. If the choice is between paying 40K per year at Brown or attending Northeastern honors college for free. Personally, I’d go with Northeastern.</p>
<p>But a few things to keep in mind. You mentioned NE would cost you almost nothing because they give athletic scholarships. There are 12.6 of those to go around and NE carries about 32-35 guys, so the avg scholarship is probably about 1/3 COA. Guys like Jenkins are almost certainly taking a full scholarship. </p>
<p>The new distance coach at NE is great - but will he stick around? Coaches move around a lot. Harvard had a great throws coach named Erickson last year - she’s now the Director of Track at Northeastern. So successful event coaches tend to get tapped for head coaching jobs.</p>
<p>I am from the west coast and will answer your portion on the mba. Going to an elite undergrad matters a lot.</p>
<p>There is a thread I posted on…it says that your chances on getting into an Ivy League b-school is predicated on going to an Ivy League undergrad. So investing upfront will pay off long-term.</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/business-school-mba/1224650-top-feeder-colleges-americas-elite-b-schools-5.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/business-school-mba/1224650-top-feeder-colleges-americas-elite-b-schools-5.html</a></p>
<p>Going from Northeastern into an Ivy League b-school is an uphill climb. And as a fellow runner, we both know how that feels on a x-country course.</p>
<p>I will come from another perspective as someone who went to an elite HYP undergrad. It’s a calling card. It’s something where when you say you went there, you will actually see something happen in their eyes, or the tilt of their head. In a way, it’s like saying you are from New York City, Paris, or Beverly Hills. It’s like people take off their glasses, wipe them down, and put them back on to get a better look at you.</p>
<p>However, in practice, and I’m going to speak specifically to the Northeastern issue, I was accepted to several Boston area grad schools, including Northeastern. I attended one because it was ranked much higher, and I have regretted it ever since. The co-op program at Northeastern is amazing, everyone who has programs with Northeastern loves it because they get to test-drive students who are still motivated for credit and not just perceived to be “desperate to get jobs” after graduation. And, I might be guessing this, getting students who know they aren’t coming from HYP and who are willing to work for that foot in the door rather than the calling card.</p>
<p>I can point to two kids I know 1st hand whom I have seen grow up and be amazing students who went from top preps to Northeastern who went right into jobs they where they had done co-op work. One and done. The international programs are likewise amazing.</p>
<p>I am not joking when I say I’m wistful my son will never go to Northeastern. He wants to play college football, he’s a good student, and it’s important to him to play at the college level. He loves it. </p>
<p>But, I would send any of my kids to Northeastern in a heartbeat. Wonderful school.</p>